Wednesday, January 14, 2015

This Big Game shop with Coca-Cola, DiGiorno Pepperoni Stuffed Crust® Pizza & Ritz Crackers has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions and experiences are mine alone. #PreparetoParty #CollectiveBias

College Football just wrapped up, but now we are in the home stretch for the Big Game! We started our kids early and now they look forward to big games, and all the great foods that go along with them, as much as my husband and I do. The best part is they are starting to follow the game and we have quite the couch cheering section!During a big sporting game is the only time food is allowed in the living room, so, my kids know it is a really big deal. I also keep some family favorite recipes to bring out only for special occasions like this.To get set I grabbed the family and we headed into Walmart. They have everything there, don't they?

Now, I want to keep our special game day traditions going, but the food also has to be simple. I mean, this Mama doesn't want to miss a play stuck in the kitchen!I grabbed some of our favorites, like half liter Coca-Cola Classic, Ritz Crackers and DiGiorno® Pepperoni Stuffed Crust® Pizza. These are staples for our homegating festivities and they keep my crowd happy, even if the game doesn't go our way.

You may have noticed that DiGiorno® pizza often graces my blog. Do you blame me? Real cheese? California vine-ripened tomatoes? I love having this last-minute solution on hand during the week and being able to take it straight from oven to table. Look for these on rollback at Walmart right now. Well, the Cheese Stuffed Crust is my new favorite. I am always excited to see more cheese, and if you have a family that often leaves the crust on their plate, this is the solution! You don't leave the crust when it is filled with melted cheese.

I like to have something classic to drink, Coca-Cola Classic is my first choice.

And this year I created a new Ritz Cracker creation that appeals to my game day fans, Monte Cristo Ritz Cracker Bites! These are so simple to make, but they delighted the Monte Cristo fan in my house, my husband.Believe me, he loves that sandwich. I know if it is on a restaurant menu, he will order it without fail. Now, they are a little messy and time consuming to recreate at home. This finger-friendly version though, is a snap to throw together for a crowd.

It starts with a base of Ritz Crackers...

Pile on the deli meat and cheeses...

Let it get real good and melty under the broiler...

Then finish up your game bite with a little preserves and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Check out my Flipagram for an idea of how they were constructed, then scroll down for the recipe to make them for your own Big Game celebration.

Wasn't that easy? I chose to make mine with a combo of turkey, ham, provolone and Swiss cheese. It is easy to make a full tray of these topped crackers, then offer your guests the chance to add their own preserves and dusting of powdered sugar to order.

Monte Cristo Ritz Cracker BitesYou will need:

Ritz Crackers

Ham, Sliced

Turkey, Sliced

Provolone, Sliced

Swiss, Sliced

Blackberry Strawberry preserves

powdered sugar

Place Ritz Crackers on a baking sheet. Slice ham and turkey into 6 pieces, and the cheese into 4 to fit the crackers. Stack the meats and cheeses on top of each cracker, then put under the Broiler, on high, until the cheese has melted.

Serve with a cup of preserves and powdered sugar for guests to make up to suit their tastes.

Enjoy!

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Easy line-up right? Now I just need to add some sliced fruit and veggies and our Big Game spread will be complete.

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Andrea - The Adventurous One

Life is an adventure, why not enjoy the ride? I love fiber, crafts and creating in the kitchen. A mom of 3 living on the farm, I love curling up with a hot mug of tea and either a good book or good project.